Neoregelia ‘Orange Glow’ versus ‘Orange Flush’

These plants came to Australia via two sources; ‘Orange Flush’ is in Keith Golinski’s video and ‘Orange Glow’ in Shane Zaghini’s book on Neoregelia. ( see Bromeliad Cultivar Registry ). The photographs shown here are by Geoff Lawn of Western Australia and the plants concerned can be traced to these sources. BUT, what are the differences? They are linked in the Bromeliad Cultivar Registry (1998) but only superficially.

Let us look at what facts are at our disposal for Neoregelia ‘Orange Flush’. This is said to be a variegated form of a plant called Neoregelia carolinae ‘Cardinalis’. No photograph or description for this plant is available. The problem here is that cardinalis means deep rich red and it is very difficult to imagine an orange-red variegate emerging from such a plant. Note that this event is linked to Belton’s nursery in San Diego California in 1980.

In 1979 Kent’s Nursery was the first to list Neoregelia ‘Orange Glow’. If we note that Kent’s nursery is in Vista California which some 30 miles from San Diego, bells start ringing! I dare to suggest that both nurseries were aware of each others existence AND both were aware of the orange-red variegated Neoregelia which one was calling ‘Orange Glow’ and the other ‘Orange Flush’.

I would like to say that ‘Orange Glow’ has date priority and we could then lose the name ‘Orange Flush’ but feel the best solution would be to put in the Bromeliad Cultivar Registry that ‘Orange Glow’ equals ‘Orange Flush’ and vice versa.

One confusing aspect is the reference in the Bromeliad Cultivar Registry under Neoregelia ‘Orange Glow’ to Neoregelia ‘Prinsler’ which I assume had its origins with Prinsler in Germany. Certainly the ‘Prinsler’ exported to Australia shows no orange tints but there are no authenticated photographs of this cultivar to prove that the Australian interpretation is more “correct” than the American one. Perhaps Prinsler can help by checking our photographs. I consider that this name should be in the Bromeliad Cultivar registry* in its own right but linking it to the Aussie version rather than ‘Orange Glow’ until it can be proved otherwise. The photograph of the Aussie ‘Prinsler’ is courtesy of John Catlan.

* FOOTNOTE: Neoregelia 'Prinsler' is now registered (3/2000) in the BCR.